Portland attorney and former police officer Akin Blitz, left, and former Hillsboro police Chief Ron Louie.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Two experts in the use of force by police said there are a lot of unknowns in what happened the night Portland Police Officer Chris Humphreys fired a beanbag gun at a 12-year-old girl.  But they both agree that the weapon carries concerns in areas most people may not think about.

One factor former Hillsboro police Chief Ron Louie considered while watching the TriMet security video that showed Humphreys shooting a beanbag round into the thigh of the girl fighting with police on a MAX platform is if the officers were seriously threatened.

He said he also considers training and procedure.

Louie, who has written a handbook on tactical communication, said officers are trained to use a beanbag gun 15 to 20 feet from a suspect and not inches.

“That has a greater probability of creating injury,” he said. “You can use it at that shorter distance if you’re dealing with a serious crime or an offender.”

Portland Police Association President Scott Westerman said the girl stopped resisting after a carefully chosen shot by Officer Humphreys that was within police policy.

“Look at the video. It had the effect,” he said.

“We have absolutely no objection to an internal investigation being conducted on a situation like this,” said Westerman. “If for no other reason than to show the citizens of Portland that our officers are acting exactly the way they were supposed to.”

Officer Humphreys is assigned to the Transit Police and he and other officers were responding to the breakup of a large party involving known gang members.

“The police are confronted with a significant challenge policing light rail,” said Portland attorney and former police officer Akin Blitz.

He said at least one officer knew the girl and all three could have de-escalated the confrontation.

“They could have stepped back in the hope that time and a less strident, forceful approach might have caused this individual to react differently,” Blitz said.

Both Louie and Blitz said there are valid reasons for taking Officer Humphreys off the street whether it’s a desk job or administrative leave.

Humphreys has taken heat for his role in the death of James Chasse Jr. who died in police custody in 2006.

Louie and Blitz said the suspension of Humphreys makes sense as the investigation into what happened continues to unfold.

The union plans to hold a rally Tuesday to collect ballots from its members in a call for a no confidence vote in Portland Police Chief Rosie Sizer and police Commissioner Dan Saltzman.